In The Middle Of The Night
by Stormrose Dewleaf
Summary: Yami comforts Yugi after a terrifying nightmare. Implied shonenai.


Okay…This one-shot came into my head when I saw a picture of Yugi in bed looking up at Yami…

There is implied shonen-ai in this story (unless of course you don't like that stuff, then you can just say it's Yami caring for Yugi like a brother or best friend or something. I mean, come on, just because you tell someone you love them doesn't mean it's like _that_).

Quick note: Yami has his own body in this story and usually sleeps in another bedroom.

* * *

Yugi ran through the dark hallways, the footsteps that should have been echoing making no sound. The only sound he could hear at all was a thudding heartbeat. Was it his own wild pulse? Or was it the nameless terror pursuing him? He turned corners recklessly without stopping to consider, choosing at random. If he slowed even the slightest, then _It _would catch up to him. He didn't know what _It _was, but he was terrified. _It _was chasing him. _It_ was after him, and _It_ was going to kill him if it got the chance. So he ran, ran without slowing, ran without looking back. He tripped and fell hard, skidding along the stone floor. Feeling warm blood trickle down his knee, he tried to stumble to his feet only to find he was at a dead end. _It_ was right behind him. Yugi pressed against the wall, trying to hide in the corner. Maybe the shadows would hide him. But he knew it was futile. _It_ would always find him. That was why he ran, because hiding was useless. At least running he had a chance, but now that chance was gone.

_It_ waited in front of him, taunting him, taunting him with his fear. Dark laughter rippled through the halls. The laughter belonged to _It_, but seemed to come from everywhere at once. He berated himself for trying to hide in the shadows. Hiding from _It_ in the shadows was like trying to hide from a hungry, angry bear in the bear's own cave. _It_ spoke through the shadows; the shadows were its voice, a haunting and echoing sound. _Found you_, mocked the shadows. _You can't hide. Foolish boy._

Where were his friends? His friends would save him, they were always there for each other. Where were they?

"Joey…Tea…Tristan…where are you?" he sobbed desperately. "Help me…Please!" Mocking laughter rang out once again. He caught a glimpse of his friends in the distance, ghostly figures. Not just the three closest to him, but all the others. Ryou, Duke, Rebecca, Malik; even Mokuba and Seto. They were laughing and smiling. They hadn't heard him. "Help me!" he cried out. Their laughter faltered, they turned and glanced at him. With a few shrugs and offhand looks, they turned around and disappeared. Yugi's heart tore in two; his friends had betrayed him, left him to die. He felt the last remaining hope he'd had drain away; he went limp, ready to give up. Then he saw the Puzzle around his neck, and hope brightened again. Yami…Surely Yami would help him. Yugi closed his eyes and concentrated, ignoring the shadows of _It_ that were swirling around him, teasing him, the predator toying with the prey. He concentrated on his link with Yami, and with every last bit of energy he had, called to the spirit in his mind and aloud. _"Yami!"_

It seemed to work; Yami appeared before him. Yugi smiled weakly and tried to crawl towards him. "Yami…"

Yami smirked. "In a bit of trouble, are we, little one?" he taunted.

Yugi was confused. "Yami…Help me," he pleaded. "I need your help. Don't let _It_ get me."

The pharaoh laughed harshly, and Yugi winced. "'I need your help'," mocked Yami. "'Don't let it get me.'" Yugi reached forward and tried to touch Yami's ankle, but Yami kicked his hand away. "Pathetic worm!" he snarled. "You dare touch me, the pharaoh, a living god?" He laughed again. "Pathetic…You're pathetic, Yugi…"

Tears streamed down the small boy's face. "Yami…why…"

Yami kept laughing, each chuckle a knife tearing through Yugi's heart. "Pathetic, Yugi. Yugi…"

"Yugi. Yugi! Wake up!"

Yugi gasped and woke with a start. Yami was sitting on the bed, shaking his shoulder roughly. "Y…Yami?"

Yami's face was worried. "Are you alright? You were tossing in your sleep, then you started crying and calling for me to help, then asked why." Fresh tears came to Yugi's eyes. He slammed into Yami, hugging his other self so tightly his arms hurt. Yami stroked his hair. "Yugi…It's alright. I'm here now, you can stop crying." He comforted the sobbing Yugi for almost ten minutes before Yugi's tears subsided. Teary violet eyes of a frightened boy met the crimson orbs of a concerned spirit. "Want to tell me what your nightmare was about?" asked Yami softly.

Yugi shuddered. "I…I was being chased…I don't know what was chasing me, but I knew it would…would kill me if it caught up to me…I tripped, and there was a dead end. I couldn't run anymore…I called for my friends, but they ignored me and left. Then I called for you, and you came, but…but…" he started sobbing again, "…you only laughed at me, you kicked me and called me pathetic…"

Sobs wracked his body. Yami hugged him fiercely. "Yugi, Yugi…It was just a nightmare. You know I'd never hurt you like that…I'll always be here to protect you. You're the most important thing in the world to me. I'd never intentionally hurt you, Yugi. You know that." He raised Yugi's head and wiped the tears away, then kissed him gently on the forehead.

Yugi put his arms around Yami again and buried his face in Yami's neck, seeking the comfort that the spirit provided just by holding him. "Thank you, Yami," he whispered.

Yami held him a few minutes more, then pulled away slightly. "You'd better get to sleep. You've got school in the morning."

Yugi nodded and lay back down. Yami pulled the sheets over his hikari and started to stand up. Yugi caught his arm. "Um…Yami?"

"Yes?"

"Could…could you stay in here tonight? Please?"

Yami's face softened as he looked into the pleading eyes, and he lay down next to Yugi. "Of course I can, little one." Yugi's face brightened, and he snuggled against Yami, who put his arms around the young one once again. "Now go to sleep," Yami whispered. "Good night."

"Good night, Yami."

"I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
